Leather-graining machine



May 5, 1925.

J. W. AULSON LEATHER GLRAINING MACHINE Filed May 18, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Irwcni'or: John Wflulson,

May 5, 1925.

J. W. AULSON LEATHER GRAINING MACHINE Filed may 18, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Izwenhar: John WfluLson,

Patented May 5, 1925.

UNITED ST JOHN WILLIAM AUIZSON, OF LYNN, li'IA'SSACHUSETTS.

LEATHER-GRHINING MACHINE.

Application filed May 18, 192-3. Serial No. 639,829.

To all-whom it may concern: V 7

Be "it known that 1, JOHN W. Autson, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Lynn, in the county .of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leather-Graininp; Machines, of which the following is 'a-specification.

This invenion relates to machines fol graining, boarding -or softening hides and skins after they have been tanned, and its object is "the production of a powendriven machine which willtrea't the hideor skin in a manner similar to that in which it would betreated by :a manually actuated board'operating thereon.

The invenit-on consists primarily of a hide supporting bed coasting with a revoluble drum adapted/t0 be reciprocated lengthwise of said bed during its rotation.

The invention further consists! in certain novel features of construction and arrange-- mentof parts which will be understood readily by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims to be hereinafter given.

:For-the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred form thereof is illustratedin the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable .results, although it is to be understood that the "various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organi'zation of the i nstrumentalities as herein shown and described except as required by the scopeof the appended claims.

Of'the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a plan of a machine embodying the principles of the presents invention.

Figure .2 same and.

FigureS represents a transverse section through the drum and showing the mecha- .nism for rotating the drum as it is moved toward the front of the-machine.

Similar characters. indicate like parts {throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In thedrawings, 10 is a framework having side bars 111, l1 extending lengthwise thereof, and provided on.each.side with a pair guide .members 12 parallel to the side represents-a side elevation of the member 16 has glued or otherwise secured thereto a sheet 17 of material, the outerzsurface of which is adapted to grip abide.

To the under face of one side bar 11 on one side of the machine, and on the upper face of the side car 11 on the opposite side of the machine aresecured the racks 18, 18*, the teeth of the rack 18 meshing with a gear 19 loosely mounted on the shaft 14. near one end, while the teeth of the rack 18 mesh with. the teeth of a gear .19 loosely mounted upon 13118 shaft 1. 1 near its opposite end.

At the rear of the frame 10 is a drive shaft 20 revo-lubly mounted in bearings 21 secured to said frame 10. This drive shaft 20 has looselyniounted thereon a pulley 22 on opposite sides of whichare the pulleys 23 and 24: secured to and revoluble with said shaft 20.

The opposite ends of the shaft 20 havese' cured thereto the bevel gears 25, each of which meshes with a bevel gear 26 on the rear end of a shaft 27 revolubly mounted in lsearings .28 secured to and extending outwardly from the sides of said frame.

Each shaft 27 has a threaded portion 29 between the bearings 28, said threaded portion 2% being'threaded to a member 30 having a downwardly extending ear through which an outer end of the shaft 14: extends.

During the rotation of the shaft 27, the threaded portions 29 of the two shafts .27, coasting with themembers 30, will cause these linembers to be moved lengthwise of said threaded portions 29, carrying the blocks 13 .and drum 15, 16 therewith.

Une of the members 30 has an upwardly extending; arm 31 which in its travel is adapted to come into contact with the collars 33 secured to a rod 34 movable lengthwise in bearings in brackets 34* secured to one side of the frame 10.

The rod 34 has secured thereto a block having a pin 36 extending upwardly therefrom into an elongated socket 37 in one arm of a bell-crank lever 38 pivoted at 39 to one of the brackets 34*. The other arm of the bell-crank lever 38 has an elongated slot 40 therein, in which is positioned a pin 41 extending upwardly from a rod 42 extending transversely of the machine and at the rear thereof, this rod 42 being adapted to reciprocate in bearings 43.

Between the bearings 43, the rod 42 has secured thereto the collars 44, between which and each of the bearings 43 are the helical springs 45.

The rod 42 also has secured thereto the collars 46 between which is disposed the hub of the belt shifting member 47, this hub being keyed to and slidable on the rod 42 as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The length of the hub of the belt shifting member 47 is considerably less than the space between the collars 46.

Normally, the pins 36 and 41 are centrally positioned in the slots 37and 40, as indicated in Fig 1 of the drawings.

hen the arm 31 approaches its rearmost position, it will come into contact with the collar 33 and move the rod toward the rear. This movement will cause the pin 36 to move along the slot 37, at the same time causing the bell-crank lever 38 to be moved. about its pivot 39 so that the wall of slot 40 acting upon the pin 41 will cause the rod 42 to be moved toward the left of the machine, as represented in Fig. 1.

This movement of the rod 42 will shift the belts 48, 49 onto pulleys 22, a3, and at the same time compress the spring 45 at the left of Fig. 1, said spring remaining compressed until the arm 31 moves away from the collar 33.

The compressed spring will then expand, returning the rod 42 to its normal position as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

During this return movement, the belts 48, 49 upon the pulleys 22 and 23 will prevent the lateral movement of the belt shiftl A" mg memoei 44, peiinittmg the rod 42 to be moved freely in the hub of said belt shifting member.

The mechanism will then be in proper position for the machine to operate until such time as the drum approaches its forward position, at which time the arm 31 will contact with the collar 32 on the rod 34, and move said rod lengthwise, effecting such movement of the bell-crank lever 38 about its pivot 39 as to move the rod 42 in the opposite direction and shift the belts 4S and 49 onto the loose pulley 22 and fast pulley 24.

It is obvious, therefore, that by means of the mechanism just described, the drum 15, 16 may be reciprocated lengthwise of the machine, the belts upon the driving pulleys being shifted at the end of the reciprocating movement of the drum 15, 16 in each direction.

Beneath the side bars 11 are other side bars 50, to the under faces of which are secured bearings 51 near the rear of the machine.

In these bearings 51 is mounted an oscil lating shaft 52, having secured thereto the forwardly extending treadle arms 53, the front ends of which are connected by a foot board 54.

Each treadle arm has pivotally secured thereto, at 55, a T-shaped member 56, the upper portion of which has pivotally con nected thereto at 57, 57 one end of the levers 53 pivoted to the side bars at 59, said levers 53 having their opposite ends pivotal ly connected at 60 to the members 61.

These members 61 have threaded thereto one end of the adjustable member 62, the opposite ends of which are threaded to the member 63 pivotally connected at 64 to the hide supporting frame 65.

This frame 65 is adapted to be moved vertically by means of the treadle mechanism just described, the ends of said frame, during each vertical movement, bearing against the end plates 66 secured to the frame 10.

The hide supporting frame has superimposed thereon the bed 67 which has an extension 68 extending forwardly beyond the front of the frame 10, this extension 68 providing a means whereby the hide may be more readily positioned upon the hide support when it is desired to operate upon the hide.

The upper face of the bed 67 has glued or otherwise secured thereto a sheet of material 69, the upper face of which is adapted to grip upon a hide placed thereon.

The opposite ends of the shaft 14 have secured thereto and revoluble therewith the cam disks 70, each having a shoulder 71 with which a pawl 72 pivotally secured at 73 to a gear 19, 19 is adapted to engage.

The pawls 72 are adapted to be retained in contact with the periphery of the cam disks by means of springs 74.

The rack 18 is positioned above the gear 19 and as the drum is moved toward the rear of the machine, the intermeshing teeth of the rack and gear will cause the gear to be moved in the direction of arrow at (Fig. 2).

As the pawl 72 is in engagement with the shoulder 71, the rotary movement of the gear 19 will be imparted to the disk 70 secured to the shaft 14, thus causing the drum to make half a revolution during its rearward movement.

During this rearward movement of the "tioned will 'be repeated.

1 memes drum 15, '16, the rack 18", being beneath the gear 19 on the opposi'tewend of the-shaft 14,"Wlll cause the gear 19* to he moved in a direction opposite to the arrow 64 on Fig. 2, the pawl riding over the periphery of its 'coacting cam "member 70.

Vi hen the extreme real-most position of the shaft 14 is reached, and said shaft hegins to return toward the front of the machine to its norl'nal position, the movement ofboth gears will be reversed and the pawl 72011 the gear 1S) will engage the shoulder 71 of its toacting cam disk and c0mplete the revolution of the drum 15, 16. In other words, by means of this mechanism, the drum 1 5, 16 makes a complete revolution at each reciprocationthereof, and during the operation of the machine con tinuously rotates in one direction.

Normally, the hide support 67 is in the position indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and when the drum I5, 16 is at or near the rear end of the frame 10, the operator places *a folded hide upon the gripping sheet 69, thefold or =bight of the hide being lto wardthe rear of the machine.

WVhen the drum reaches its forward position, "the operator presses upon the foot board 54;, moving the treadle arms about the ivot 52, and thus forcesthe i-hide support with the folded hide thereon upwardly against the drum 15, 16, in which position the hide support 67 is retained until the drum in its reciprocation reaches its rearmost positi'on.

As the drum commences to rotate during the :rearward movement of the drum, the hide gri-pping sheet 17 thereon will grip upon the adjacent face of the hide and "cause it to be moved towardthe rear of the machine, the lower layer of the hide extreme rearward lPOSllllOIl.

The operator then removes hisfoot from the footiboard 5tiofitreadle 58, and :the hide support :66 will return, :of its own weight, to its normal position.

The operator then seizes :the hide and turns it over upon the support 67 and repezrts the operation so that the other half of the hide will be treated in the same manner.

By pi nching the bight or fold of the hide in this manner a grain will be formed all all oi erthe finish side of the hide.

If it is desired to produce a box efiect upon the finish side of the hide, the hide will be folded again so that the fold will be at right angles to the fold previously described, a'ndthe two operatibns just men- When a pebbled or fancy effect is iprefer-red, the operations of the hide unay aloe carried still further, with the hide folded at any angle to the folds hereinhefore re ferred to.

It must be understood that when the hide is folded, the finish faces are always inside.

It is obvious, therefore, that :by means of this machine any design may :be :given to the finish faces of the hide that could be secured by hand operation and with less labor and in less time.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention will be understood readily without further descrip tion. a 7

Having :thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, a

hide support consisting of a rigid table supported :at opposite ends andvfixed "as to end movement; :guides above and parallel to said support; l-blocks reciprocable "lengthwise of and "between said guides; a shaft mounted in hearings in said blocksyscrew mechanism for reciprocating said blocks; adrum secured to said shaft and adapted to coact with material on said support; and positive means foi rotatilig said drum :during :its reciprocation with said blocks.

- '2'. "In a machine of the class described, a hide-si' pport; guides parallel to said support"; blocks -1eciprocahle lengthwise ofsaid guides-g a shaft mounted in hearings in said blocks; screw mechanism for reciprocating said blocks including reciprocating members haying form-ed integral therewith bearings forthe-opposite onds of said shaft; a drum secured to said shaft; gears loosely mounted 011 said sh-aft; stationary racks meshing with the gear teeth; and connections between the gears and't'lie drum shaft for imparting to said shaft a complete rotation duringeach reciprocation of said blocks.

3. In a machine of the elass described, a frame having side bars and guides; a hide support; revoluble screws parallel with said support; bloeks reciprocable lengthwise of said guides; reciprocable members threaded to and movable lengthwise of said screws and'havrng bearings for said shaft; a shaft "rotatably n'loun'ted in hearings in said blocks and said treciprocable members; a drum secured to said shaft; cam members secured to s'aid shaft; gears loosely mounted on'said shaft; racks on said bars engaging the teeth of said gears; mechanism for rotating said screws; and pawls on said gears engaging shoulders on said cam members.

4 In a machine of the class described, a hide support; screws parallel to said "support; members threadedto and reciproc'able lengthwise of said screws; ashaft mounted loe'ariilgs in said members; mechanism for Cir rotating said screws; a drum secured to said shaft; positive means for rotating said drum during its reciprocation with said members and means for reversing the rotation of said screws at the end of movement of said members in either direction.

5. In a machine of the class described, a hide support; screws parallel to said support; members threaded to and reciprocable lengthwise of said screws; a shaft mounted in bearings in said members; parallel guides on said frame; blocks surrounding said shaft and reciprocable between said guides; a drum secured to said shaft; gears loosely mounted on said shaft; stationary racks meshing with the gear teeth; and connections between the gears and the drum shaft for imparting to said shaft a complete rotation during each reciprocation of said blocks.

6. In a machine of the class described, a frame having side bars and parallel guides; blocks reciprocable between said guides; a hide support; revoluble screws parallel with said support; members threaded to and movable lengthwise of said screws; a shaft rotatably mounted in bearings in said blocks and members; a drum secured thereto; cam members secured to said shaft; gears loosely mounted on said shaft; a rack on one of said bars above one of said gears and engaging the teeth thereof; a rack on another bar below the other gear and engaging the teeth thereof; mechanism for rotating said screws; and pawls 011 said gears adapted to engage shoulders on said cam members.

7. In a machine of the class described, a hide support; screws parallel to said support; members threaded to and reciprocable lengthwise of said screws; a shaft mounted in bearings in said members; positive mechanism for rotating said screws; a drum secured to said shaft; mechanism for imparting a half revolution to said drum during its movement in one direction; another mechanism for completing the revolution of said drum while moving in the opposite direction; and means for reversing the rotation of said screws at the end of movement of said members in either direction.

8. In a machine of the class described, a hide support; screws parallel to said support; members threaded to and reciprocable lengthwise of said screws having shaft bearings formed integral therewith a shaft mounted in bearings in said members; a drum secured to said shaft; two gears loose- 1y mounted on said shaft; stationary racks meshing with the gear teeth, one rack being positioned above one gear and the other below the second gear; and connections between the gears and the drum shaft for imparting to said shaft a complete rotation during each reciprocation of said members.

9. In a machine of the class described, a hide support; guides parallel to said support; blocks adapted to reciprocate on said guides; a drum supported on said blocks; means for rotating said drum, other members reciprocable with said blocks having bearings for the opposite ends of said shaft; revoluble screws for reciprocating said members and blocks; a reciprocating rod; collars thereon; means reciprocable with said blocks and coacting with said collars to move said rod endwise; a driving shaft perpendicular to said screws; fast and loose driving pulleys thereon for controlling the rotation of said screws; a belt shifting memher; and mechanism actuated by said rod for imparting movement to said belt shifting member.

10. In a machine of the class described, a hide support; guides parallel to said support; blocks adapted to reciprocate on said guides; a drum supported on said blocks; means for rotating said drum, other members reciprocable with said blocks having bearings for the opposite ends of said shaft; revoluble screws for reciprocating said members and blocks; a drive shaft perpendicular to said screws; gears for rotating said screws from said shaft; fast and loose pulleys on said shaft; a belt shifting memher; a reciprocating rod; collars thereon; means reciprocable with said blocks and coacting with said collars to move said rod endwise; and crank mechanism actuated by the movement of said rod for imparting movement to said belt shifting member.

11. In a machine of the class described, a hide support; guides parallel to said support; blocks adapted to reciprocate on said guides; a drum provided with a shaft supported in bearings on said blocks; means for rotating said drum, other members reciprocable with said blocks having bearings for the opposite ends of said shaft; revoluble screws for reciprocating said members and blocks; a drive shaft perpendicular to said screws; gears for rotating said screws from said shaft; fast and loose pulleys on said shaft; a belt shifting member; a reciprocating rod; collars thereon; a nut on one of said screws reciprocable with said blocks and provided with an arm coacting with said collars to move said rod endwise; and crank mechanism actuated by the movement of said rod for imparting movement to said belt shifting member.

12. In a machine of the class described, a hide support; guides parallel to said support; blocks adapted to reciprocate on said guides; a drum supported on said blocks; means for rotating said drum, other members reciprocable with said blocks having bearings for the opposite ends of said shaft; revoluble screws for reciprocating said members and blocks; a drive shaft perpendicular to said screws; gears for rotating said screws from said shaft; fast and loose pulleys on said shaft; a belt shifting memher; a reciprocating rod; collars thereon; means reciprocablc With said blocks and co acting With said collars to move said rod endwise; and mechanism including a pivoted bell-crank lever, actuated by the movemerit of said rod for imparting movement to said belt-shifting member.

Signed by me at 746 Old South Bldg, Boston, Mass, this 2nd day of May, 1923.

JOHN WILLIAM AULSON. Witnesses WALTER E. LoMBARD, NATHAN C. LOMBARD. 

